Coureurs des bois

The coureurs des bois (runners of the woods) or voyageurs (travellers) is the name given to the men who traded fur directly with the Amerindians in the time of New France and a little after when America was still mostly covered by the wilderness.

Canadian history is full of mentions of the coureurs des bois, but they are part of the history of both Canada and the United States as the former territory of New France covered a large portion of the North American continent. The coureur des bois is a legendary character in Quebec's culture and continues to be a subject of inspiration today. In history, these men were the employees of French, French Canadian, or later British fur traders who travelled by canoe deep into uncharted North America. Many coureurs des bois became famous, like Étienne Brulé, Louis Joliet, Des Groseillers and Radisson (who both betrayed France), Jean Nicolet, Guillaume Couture, La Vérendrye.

The typical early voyageur spoke French. Many were French Canadian from Quebec or métis, and so at times were lumped into history as 'Indians'. During the peek of the Canadian fur trade, they were employed by the North West Company, the Hudson's Bay Company, or private entrepreneurs. For better and for worse, the voyageurs interacted with the First Nations more closely than the settlers who were to follow in their footsteps. Many were in fact interpreters and guides for the French or the English.